Penn basketball flipped the script to snap a pair of skids in its 70-62 win against Brown on Friday.
Behind senior guard Tyler Bernardini’s 26 points, the Quakers’ win over Brown came after four straight losses and seven straight road losses.
“It’s tough winning on the road,” coach Jerome Allen said. “It’s tough to put teams away.”
However, after having to play catch-up in several of their last games, the Quakers (10-12, 4-4 Ivy) took a 28-21 lead into halftime, and instead found themselves fending off a furious Brown challenge.
“Especially when you’re playing back-to-back games, you can’t put yourself in a position where you have to exert a ton of energy to come back in the second half,” senior forward Jack Eggleston said. “That’s no way to be successful.”
The Bears (10-14, 3-7) clawed back to take a brief 49-48 lead in the second half behind prolific, if not efficient, three-point shooting — Brown hit four three-pointers in the first 7:30 of the final period.
But shortly after Penn reclaimed the lead, point guard Zack Rosen drained a three and then turned a steal into two free throws, single-handedly turning Penn’s three-point cushion into an eight-point advantage. Allen called the steal “the key play of the game.”
“[Rosen is] our leader and we count on him to make those plays and seal the game off,” Bernardini said.
Bernardini’s 26 points were just as important and came on 10-of-17 shooting, including 6-of-8 from behind the arc.
“[Bernardini] is a tremendous basketball player,” Eggleston said. “And when we can put him in positions to score the basketball and get open looks, he’s going to be effective every time.”
Allen credited Penn’s defense for allowing the Quakers to finally close out a game for the win.
“We finished out the possessions, and that is what allowed us to continue to increase the lead,” he said.
Eggleston agreed that defensive execution keyed the victory and his personal stat line reflected a defensive emphasis. Despite scoring only three points, Eggleston finished with four blocks, four steals and eight rebounds.
Meanwhile, junior center Mike Howlett returned from injury and made significant contributions Friday. With big men Conor Turley and Cameron Gunter ill and unable to make the trip, Howlett made the most of his opportunity, picking up 10 points and seven boards.
His 21 minutes were the most Howlett had logged all season.
“When you start getting out there and start getting into it, those old instincts start coming back to you pretty quickly,” Howlett said.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.
